Crassula plant named ‘OVWOODS02’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Crassula  plant named ‘OVWOODS02’ which is characterized by the combination of a broad spreading to upright and freely-branching growth habit, foliage that appears to be arranged in tightly packed whorls, green foliage that is covered with greyed-green epicuticular wax and narrowly margined with a mixture of greyed-purple to brown, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species:

The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Crassula arborescens subsp. undulatifolia.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Crassula disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVWOODS02’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2020/2872, filed on Nov. 13, 2020, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVWOODS02’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plant mutation of Crassula ‘OVCRAS03’ (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 46259), a variety developed and owned by the inventor. The inventor of ‘OVWOODS02’ is a commercial ornamental plant producer and regularly discovers mutations of Crassula at his greenhouse operation in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. For said mutations which seem to exhibit commercial potential, cuttings are taken to produce trial plants which are subsequently grown for evaluation. The variety now called ‘OVWOODS02’ was initially discovered in the summer of 2016 as a whole-plant mutation of ‘OVCRAS03’ which exhibited unique medium green, glaucous foliage with narrow greyed-purple margins. At the time of discovery, cuttings were taken and the resulting plants were evaluated at the inventor's greenhouse. After further evaluation it was determined that the candidate's foliage characteristics would prove favorable for commercial marketability. The new variety was given the breeder denomination ‘OVWOODS02’.

Asexual Reproduction: The variety now called ‘OVWOODS02’ was first asexually propagated by stem cuttings in the summer of 2016 at a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and has since been vegetatively propagated through four additional generations. Through subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVWOODS02’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVWOODS02’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVWOODS02’ as a new and distinct Crassula cultivar:

-   -   1. Crassula ‘OVWOODS02’ exhibits a freely branching, broad         spreading to upright growth habit; and     -   2. Crassula ‘OVWOODS02’ exhibits short internodal spacing on         lateral branches, with decussate foliage, giving the foliage a         whorled appearance; and     -   3. Crassula ‘OVWOODS02’ exhibits medium green, glaucous foliage         which is covered with greyed-green epicuticular wax.     -   4. Crassula ‘OVWOODS02’ exhibits juvenile foliage suffused with         greyed-red towards the apex and distal portion of the margins;         and     -   5. Crassula ‘OVWOODS02’ exhibits mature foliage that is margined         with a mixture of greyed-purple and brown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVWOODS02’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. This plant is approximately 6 months old, shown planted in a 16 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of ‘OVWOODS02’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in November of 2020 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 6 month-old ‘OVWOODS02’ plants grown in 16 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plants were grown in full sun to semi-shade. Plants were maintained with a standard fertility program for plants of this type and regularly watered with overhead irrigation as well as through use of ebb-and-flow hydroponic greenhouse benches. No chemical pest measures were taken.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVWOODS02’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVWOODS02’ and comparisons with the parent and closest known commercial comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Broad spreading to upright perennial.         -   Plant form.—Irregular broad obovate to flattened globular.         -   Average height.—13.3 cm from the soil level to the top of             the foliar plane.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 14.0 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Somewhat slow to moderately fast.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation type.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 14 days to initiate             roots at temperatures ranging from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 6 weeks to             produce a rooted cutting.         -   Disease resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to             typical Crassula pests and diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             and 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low             tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to wind. -   Root System:     -   -   General.—Moderately dense and freely branched rooting; roots             are moderately fibrous.         -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately             deep.         -   Diameter of roots.—0.8 mm on average.         -   Texture.—Smooth and glabrous.         -   Color.—Greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 164A. -   Stem:     -   -   General branching habit.—Basally branching main stems;             freely branching with lateral branches. Pinching isn't             required but will improve branching.         -   Main stems.—Quantity of main stems per plant — 2. Attitude —             Upright and outward. Cross-section — Rounded. Texture —             Glabrous; glaucous. Luster — Matte. Strength — Strong.             Color, juvenile — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Color,             mature — Nearest to in between greyed-green and green, RHS             138B and 194B. Color at internodes — Nearest to in between             greyed-green and green, RHS 138B and 194B. Color of the             oldest wood — Greyed-brown, nearest to a mixture of RHS 190B             and 190C.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity of lateral branches — 5. Length             of lateral branches — Approximately 5.2 cm. Diameter of             lateral branches — Approximately 0.7 cm. Internode length —             Approximately 1.4 cm. Attitude — At an average angle of 65             degrees to vertical, varying between 45 and 85 degrees.             Cross-section — Rounded. Texture — Glabrous; glaucous.             Luster — Matte. Strength — Strong. Color, juvenile —             Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Color, mature — Nearest             to in between greyed-green and green, RHS 138B and 194B.             Color at internodes — Nearest to in between greyed-green and             green, RHS 138B and 194B. -   Foliage:     -   -   Phyllotaxy.—Decussate.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Quantity.—10 per lateral branch.         -   Attitude.—Upward.         -   Lamina.—Shape — Obovate to elliptic. Aspect — Moderately             curled upward. Dimensions — 5.1 cm long and 2.9 cm wide.             Thickness — Approximately 0.4 cm. Apex — Obtuse to bluntly             and abruptly acute. Base — Cuneate. Margin — Entire; no             undulation. Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial             surface — Glabrous, smooth, and slightly glossy; moderately             to heavily glaucous. Pubescence, texture and luster of the             abaxial surface — Glabrous, smooth, and very slightly             glossy; moderately to heavily glaucous. Color — Juvenile             foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS 143B, and             fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to RHS             144C; both the apex and the distal portion of the margins             are suffused with greyed-red, nearest to RHS 182C; the             epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is greyed-green,             nearest to RHS 191A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface —             Green, nearest to RHS 143C, and fading to yellow-green             towards the base, nearest to RHS 144C; both the apex and the             distal portion of the margins are suffused with greyed-red,             nearest to RHS 182C; the epicuticular wax covering the leaf             surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191B. Mature             foliage, adaxial surface — Green, nearest to RHS 137B;             narrowly margined in between greyed-purple and brown,             nearest to RHS N186C and 200B; the epicuticular wax covering             the leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191A.             Mature foliage, abaxial surface — Nearest to in between             green and yellow-green, RHS 137B and 147B; narrowly margined             in between greyed-purple and brown, nearest to RHS N186C and             200B; the epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191B. Venation — No veins are             visible.         -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date. -   Comparison with the parent plant: Plants of the new cultivar     ‘OVVVOODS02’ differs from the parent, an unnamed Crassula ‘OVCRAS03’     (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 46259), in the     following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVWOODS02’ ‘OVCRAS03’ Length of foliage. Shorter than Longer than ‘OVCRAS03’. ‘OVWOODS02’. General coloration Darker green by Lighter green by of the foliage. comparison comparison to ‘OVCRAS03’. to ‘OVWOODS02’. Undulation of foliar No undulation. Undulated. margins.

-   Comparison with the closest known comparator: Plants of the new     cultivar ‘OVVVOODS02’ differs from the species, Crassula ‘Frodo’     (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table     2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVWOODS02’ ‘Frodo’ Foliage apex. More acute than Less acute than ‘Frodo’. ‘OVWOODS02’. Foliage shape. More rounded than Less rounded than ‘Frodo’. ‘OVWOODS02’. General coloration of Closer to green. Closer to greyed-green. the foliage. Margin coloration of Narrowly margined More broadly margined the mature foliage. with a mixture of with a mixture of greyed-purple to greyed-purple to brown. brown. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Crassula plant named ‘OVWOODS02’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 